EcuadorTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents

South America

Last checked 20 Jul 2026Medium confidenceHow we rate a record

Ecuador treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 1 has no published rule we could find and 6 need only your prescription.

Serious penalties: Ecuador references a list of prohibited substances (not published in the traveller table), and enforcement is strict. The authority named on the 2014 table (CONSEP) no longer exists: the Ministerio de Salud Pública regulates controlled medicines under art 28 of the 2015 Organic Drugs Law and acts on them through ARCSA. Confirm the current prohibited list before travel.

ActionA written answer from Ministry of Public Health (Ministerio de Salud Pública), acting on controlled medicines through ARCSA naming your medication, before you book

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By medication

Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Ecuador records specifically for that medication.

Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Not named: Unclear
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) is not named in Ecuador's law (Organic Drugs Law 2015, Annex, psychotropic Lists I to IV, pages 35 to 43), so no rule for it is published. Ask the authority listed here before you travel.
Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Prescription
Ecuador allows ADHD stimulants (psychotropic substances) for personal use with a valid prescription, and the original prescription must be shown at customs. No day or dose limit is published, but the amount you carry must not be large enough to be considered commercial.
Dexedrine (dexamfetamine)Prescription
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled. If you arrive by air, Ecuador's customs rules require any medicine to be accompanied by its prescription, and a foreign prescription is accepted. Customs guidance for land crossings asks for a prescription only for psychotropic medicines; we suggest carrying yours anyway. No day or dose limit is published, but the amount must not be large enough to be considered commercial. We suggest keeping the medicine in its original packaging.
Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Prescription
The same rule as Ritalin, Concerta above.
Intuniv (guanfacine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
Qelbree (viloxazine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.

Rules by drug class

Narcotic (opioids)

Prescription

Quantity: No official traveller quantity is published
Permit: Not required. Documentation-based entry; no separate import permit and no numeric quantity is published. The authority named on the 2014 table is CONSEP; its successor is not named in any registered source.
Documents: prescription, home authority certificate, medical certificate, customs declaration

Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)

Prescription

Quantity: No day or dose limit is published. The amount must not be large enough to be considered commercial.
Permit: Not required. No Ecuadorean authorisation is asked for: a valid prescription, with the original presented at customs. No certificate from Ecuador's own health authorities appears on the published traveller table, which dates from June 2014.
Documents: Prescription
Carry the original prescription and show it at customs (INCB traveller table for Ecuador, items a and d; SENAE Resolution 2026-0041, art 23 item 11, page 9).

Not internationally controlled

Prescription

Quantity: No day or dose limit is published. The amount must not be large enough to be considered commercial.
Documents: Prescription
Mandatory when you arrive by air: any medicine must be accompanied by its prescription, and a foreign prescription is accepted (customs resolution SENAE-SENAE-2026-0041-RE, article 23, item 11). Customs guidance for land crossings asks for a prescription only for psychotropic medicines.

If a country asks for a certificate from your own health authority

Australia does not issue export certificates for personal medication. There is no Australian office that endorses a traveller's certificate the way a Schengen country's health authority endorses an Article 75 certificate. The Office of Drug Control licenses commercial exporters, and the TGA regulates products rather than certifying individual travellers, so neither will stamp your paperwork.

What to do instead: ask your prescriber for a signed letter on practice letterhead giving your name and passport number, each medicine by generic and brand name, strength, daily dose, total quantity and the dates it covers, plus the prescriber's registration number and contact details. Have it dated close to departure, and carry the original dispensing labels.

Then contact the destination's authority in writing before you book, say plainly that Australia does not issue the certificate they ask for, and ask what they will accept in its place. Keep the reply. A written answer from the authority is the strongest document you can carry, and it is the only thing that closes this gap.

Responsible authority

Ministry of Public Health (Ministerio de Salud Pública), acting on controlled medicines through ARCSA

Sources

The sources behind everything above, so you can check it yourself rather than take our word for it. Always confirm the current rule with the source before you travel.

Your trip pack

A doctor's letter for Ecuador, filled in with your medications and your stops, ready to sign.

A$59

The rules above are free and stay free. The pack is the paperwork that goes with them: a checklist for each stop in travel order, a printable PDF, and the letter to take to your GP.

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This page organises publicly available government information and links. It is not legal or medical advice. Rules change and enforcement varies, so always confirm with the official sources above or the Ecuador embassy or consulate before travelling.